Looking at covering soon and I was wondering what others have done for access to the rear bell crank.
Looking at covering soon and I was wondering what others have done for access to the rear bell crank.
Jim,
Circular access hole with cover plate on the bottom. It might be handy to have a second one on the side, but for lubrication and inspection the one is enough. Nice thing about Oratex is that I could easily add another without having to worry about paint. When I was painting parts, I painted a few extra covers.
John Evens
Arvada, CO
Kitfox SS7 N27JE
EAA Lifetime
Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime
Thank you John, I was thinking more about the final rigging to adjust the jam nuts and the need to get two small wrenches in there.
You can roughly rig the elevator before covering, then after cover for final rigging you won't need to access the rod ends at the rear bell crank (just be sure to tighten the jamb nuts before you cover). There will be plenty of adjustment range at the forward and rearward ends of the push-pull tube. You still need a round access cover on the bottom like John said for annual inspection and lube.
Jim Ott
Portland, OR
Kitfox SS7 flying
Rotax 912ULS
Or you can be a small guy and crawl down the fuse to do the work. Im getting older now and I think I may be putting the inspection panel on in a few more years.
Eddie Forward
Flying
SS7, 912iS, Garmin G3X
I painted with Aerothane and put several of the access cover rings in places where I thought I might need additional access. They are virtually invisible and they can be made operational at any time simply by cutting out the fabric and inserting a cover - pre painted as John suggests.
I would use LPS-1 on plastic bearings, as per Kitfox recommendations. Tri-Flow on metal to metal.
John Evens
Arvada, CO
Kitfox SS7 N27JE
EAA Lifetime
Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime
I see that Joe is asking about a Series 5 which has a phenolic (plastic) bearing/bushing that the elevator torque tube goes thru about mid fuselage back in the airframe. Joe if that is what you're asking about I use a dab of white lithium grease on the tube where it slides thru this bearing. Not sure , but I believe on the newer models this bearing has been eliminated. Bruce N199CL